Data Finds Youth Marijuana Use Unchanged Post-Legalization

Marijuana use by young people remains largely unchanged in Colorado since the enactment of a voter-initiated law legalizing its possession and retail sale to adults in 2014, according to data released by the Department of Public Health and Environment.

The survey data finds that the percentage of teens acknowledging using marijuana in 2017 was 19%, down 1% from 2013, NORML reports. Retail sales of marijuana began on January 1, 2014.

The percentage of Colorado youth using marijuana is consistent with the national average.

By contrast, self-reported marijuana use by adults has increased slightly, driven largely by an increase in consumption by younger adults.

The data is consistent with prior studies finding that neither the enactment of medical marijuana legalization nor the enactment of adult use regulation is independently associated with increased marijuana use by young people.